Friday, December 17, 2010

Modification Or New?


You cannot know how you work if you do not know who you are. Like an airplane coughing and struggling for fuel because it’s doing a maneuver for which it’s not made, you’ll stall out.

If God has made you a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17)—not an upgrade, but a new original—then what have you become? After new birth, who are you?

You're an actual son or an authentic daughter of God. You didn't just get the title, "Christian," you received a new DNA—you got the guts. Never again will you be only human. Yes, you've got humanity, but in a similar way that Jesus had humanity; something else most-truly defines who you are and where you're from.

Every son and daughter of God receives the genetic of their Father, becoming an actual son of His, with desires and attitudes in keeping with their new nature. Knowing Him and living with Him is now the way to life—real life.

Peter writes, “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness. Through these He has given us His very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires” (2 Peter1:3-4, italics mine).

That beautiful italicized phrase means that you and I have become actual partakers or sharers of the divine genetic. After your new birth in Christ, what delighted you was different, and what grieved you was unlike what saddened you before. You discovered new desires (I want to read the Bible!), new delights (I enjoy worshiping God!), and new sorrows (I so dislike sin!) because you had received a new nature with desires, delights, and sorrows to match.

You’ve been re-germinated! Participating with Him is the way to live—it’s the new normal.

11 comments:

  1. Julie Casteel3:17 PM

    AMEN GLORY TO GOD. THANK YOU THIS IS SO TRUE....

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  2. Debra Baker3:22 PM

    I love it! I love it! I love it!

    Thanks for reminding us! Behold! All things have become new!

    - Debra

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  3. Mike Mckinzie11:25 PM

    I so understand this piece of Good News. I compare it to an egg, two completely separate bodies but in one shell. My sin nature is no longer mine own. So cool. Peter's description in Romans (chapter 7?) of his sin nature is so like my own.

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  4. Brenda Kalas11:25 PM

    Ralph so many Christians have never realized who they are, including me. It seems like a curtain is being drawn back - the riches in Christ shown to me as I seek to know Him more. It's time we all claim our rightful heritage and start looking at ourselves as heirs with Christ. I am so grateful.

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  5. Christina Wing11:26 PM

    Fantastic...!! A friend of mine said we have the DNA of God. That struck me as profound simply because I was trying to attain a relationship with the Father by "trying to be what I already was"! Thanks Ralph, I really look forward to your notes and thank you for tagging me!

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  6. Brenda Kalas11:26 PM

    Ephesians 1:11-14, some good reading, too about co-heirs.

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  7. Cheryl York Olmstead11:27 PM

    Thank you for sharing, I've never thought about the genetics...a wonderful concept and also a great explanation about why we feel so grieved over certian sins whether our own or something we hear or witness on the news etc.

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  8. Elmarie Botha11:27 PM

    So much truth in this beautiful post! All Glory to God! Thanks for sharing Ralph. God bless!

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  9. Chris Pennington9:58 AM

    Amen, Love this! thanks so much! \o/ The very life of very God surging through us, God's own DNA! Yeah! Thank you Lord for the BLOOD!!

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  10. Cheryl Lowry9:59 AM

    Ralph, this reminded me of a time in my life when I struggled with an identity crisis...One day I spoke out loud "God, who am I"? He answered me loudly in my spirit and said, "Your Cheryl, My Daughter". It changed my life to here this truth! Thank you for sharing.

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  11. Sharon Fryer10:00 AM

    Not always seein or experiencing all who I am in God...BUT O WOW, then this TRUTH mounts up in my heart...*GOD IS MY CLOSEST RELATIVE* Yes, My FATHER BY BLOOD!!! I am BLOOD RELATED TO GOD.....And THIS TRUTH continues to overwhelm and RESCUE my heart over, and over and over and over again!!!! Thank's Ralph...Always BLESSED by your sharing ♥

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